Bill we were talking about why you can't modify your own car. This touches on it.
As much as this problem is being framed as "protecting the consumer," this is more about preventing would-be tuners and enterprising tinkerers from reverse engineering technology that is protected under broad draconian patent laws.
(Here is where I climb onto the soap box I keep behind my desk).
This is total BS, and this type of "study," discretely funded by auto manufacturers, ultimately serves to distance the consumer further from something they may own outright on paper, but from a legal standpoint are only borrowing or renting.
As an example, years ago, if you owned, say, a GM car with a Rochester™ carburetor, you could dismantle the carburetor, rebuild it, and tune it to meet your needs, subject to smog laws of course. It was yours to do as you wish.
Somehow, this is no longer the case. You are no longer allowed to dismantle the equivalent component, which would be the Delco-Remy, or latterly, Bosch ECU, diagnose the problem within it, repair it, and tune it how you like.
Have you ever wondered why you had to go to the dealer to fix a check engine light when the local auto parts scanner couldn't detect the problem?
Automakers have worked closely with the EPA, using them as their whipping boy, to defend their overt efforts to protect and control access to something YOU OWN, citing smog law.
I do not understand why, in the face of the recent ruling against Apple regarding jailbroken phones, no one has taken on auto manufacturers when their relentless pursuit of secrecy regarding their technology clearly infringes on the rights of the buyer.
This type of thinking ultimately stifles innovation, and creates a de-facto monopoly of car technology, leaving any cottage industry auto maker at the mercy of the big boys. It is an anti-competitive stance.
Whither Panoz, Morgan, Spyker, TVR, Bristol, Wiesmann, etc? All use (or used) power trains certified for the US, but without a direct tie up with the power train manufacturer willing to share the onerous ANCILLARY requirements to meet certification, these cars are only vapor here.